Love Is Power
“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” Mathew 3: 11.
John the Baptist is referring to Jesus in this verse. To read the passage for context, click here.
To the degree we are filled with the Spirit of love, to that degree will we be mighty, or powerful. Jesus was more powerful than John because He was filled with the Spirit of love to a greater degree. God is love.
The Power of Love
Love is power. Love requires power.
You can’t be patient and kind, good and faithful, gentle and self-controlled (the characteristics of love) without power (Galatians 5: 22, 23). This is especially true in times of duress and stress.
We gain this power or strength or endurance as our faith is tested in trials. (If we pass the test). When this power or strength or endurance has its perfect work, we become whole and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1: 3, 4).
In other words, we are perfected in love. Or in still other words, we are enabled to be patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and self-controlled in every circumstance.
A runner is perfect and complete as a runner when he can endure any obstacle and not quit and give up. When he can continue the race even when its 95 and humid, he’s not feeling great, or the terrain is challenging. Then he’s probably close to being perfect and complete as a runner.
Perfected In Love
In the same way, when we can continue to walk in love even when we’re not being treated right and the right thing isn’t happening to us. And we are under stress. Then we are probably close to being perfected in love.
To love at all times and in every circumstance requires power. So, we can rejoice when we encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of our faith produces endurance (power). And let endurance have its perfect result that we might be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
The fact that love requires power is intimated in 2 Timothy 1: 7: “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control”. The wording in the Bible is often progressive and I think this verse is a case in point.
Power is a prerequisite to walking in love. And love is a prerequisite to self-control.
To read another post related to see Why Wisdom Is Important (Read Required) to be Blessed.